This episode is the start of a two-parter on the people living north—or perhaps more appropriately, northeast—of Yamato. This includes the people that are referred to by Yamato as the “Emishi” as well as the “Mishihase”.

The actual ethnic make-up of these two groups is not clear cut, but it would seem that the Emishi territory includes areas where we find evidence of the Epi-Jomon and later Satsumon cultures, and descriptions of the Mishihase seem to correspond well with what we know as the Okhostk Sea Culture.

In this first episode we talk at a high level about what we know from the archaeological record, as well as the potential connection to indigenous Ainu people.

Below, we’ll include references for people who want to seek out more information.

References

• About Upopoy. https://ainu-upopoy.jp/en/about/

• Zaman, M., Charbonneau, L., & Maruyama H. (2022). Critiquing the Colonialist Origins of the New National Museum Upopoy. FOCUS Asia-Pacific, March 2022 Vol 107. 9-12. https://www.hurights.or.jp/archives/focus/section1/focus107.pdf

• Hudson, M. J., lewallen, ann-elise, & Watson, M. K. (Eds.). (2014). Beyond Ainu Studies: Changing Academic and Public Perspectives. University of Hawai’i Press. http://www.jstor.org/stable/j.ctt6wqw7k

• Hudson, M. J. (1999). Ainu Ethnogenesis and the Northern Fujiwara. Arctic Anthropology, 36(1/2), 73-83. http://www.jstor.org/stable/40316506

• Yamaura, K. (1998). The Sea Mammal Hunting Cultures of the Okhotsk Sea with Special Reference to Hokkaido Prehistory. Arctic Anthropology, 35(1), 321-334. http://www.jstor.org/stable/40316472

• Hanihara, K. (1990). Emishi, Ezo and Ainu: An Anthropological Perspective. Japan Review, 1, 35-48. http://www.jstor.org/stable/25790886

• Befu, H., & Chard, C. S. (1964). A Prehistoric Maritime Culture of the Okhotsk Sea. American Antiquity, 30(1), 1-18. https://doi.org/10.2307/277625

• Kitagawa, J.M. (1961). Ainu bear Festival (Iyomante). History of Religions, 1(1), 95-151. http://www.jstor.org/stable/1061972

• Aston, W. G. (1972). Nihongi, chronicles of Japan from the earliest times to A.D. 697. London: Allen & Unwin. ISBN0-80480984-4